Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“We need to talk.”
Four words no one wanted to hear. Many times it was the woman saying them to a man. But in this case, Pyro had called her, said those ominous words, and was currently on his way over.
A week and a half had passed since she’d slept with him for the first time, and they hadn’t spent a night apart since.
Penny had never felt like this about a man before. Had never ached to see him when he wasn’t with her. She thought about him all day while she was working and he was at the base. And her world seemed to light up when he walked in the door when the day was over.
The sex was over-the-top amazing. Penny didn’t have the slightest idea that sex could be so fulfilling before Pyro.
He’d apparently decided his goal in life was to make her orgasm as many times as possible when they made love.
It was exhilarating. The man was obsessed with feeling her come while he was deep inside her body, but she wasn’t complaining. Not in the least.
They’d had the birth control talk, and she’d told him that she had an implant.
That John hadn’t wanted any more children, so he’d talked her into the semi-permanent birth control.
She’d had the implant replaced every three years since then as a matter of routine.
The end of another three years was approaching, and she and Pyro had agreed to have a discussion about children when that time came.
The fact that he wasn’t opposed to having children just made Penny love him more. She wasn’t sure if she wanted another child, but knowing it wasn’t off the table was enough for the moment.
And if she’d thought sex with Pyro with a condom was good, sex without it was out of this world.
He loved seeing his come leaking out of her body for some reason.
She figured it was a guy thing. He’d even come on her chest once, and it turned them on so much, they’d ended up going at it again almost immediately afterward.
They’d both been sticky and the sheets were a mess, but Penny loved it simply because Pyro was borderline feral at the sight of his seed on her body.
They might be weird, but Penny didn’t care. Because when she was with Pyro, nothing seemed taboo or wrong. They laughed, loved, and lived as if they’d known each other for years. Penny was comfortable with him, and just as importantly, her daughter was too.
She was head-over-heels in love with him and Bowie was just as smitten.
Kylo-Pyro could do no wrong in her daughter’s eyes, and when he wasn’t around she talked about him nonstop.
Mostly because he was so attentive. Talked to her instead of at her.
Included her in every conversation and didn’t dismiss her because she was a kid or because she was blind.
In fact, her lack of sight hardly ever came up.
Pyro did what was needed to alter whatever they were doing to include her without making a big deal out of it.
He described everything so Bowie could “see” it for herself.
He talked while he drove, when they walked to and from her school, when he helped her with her homework.
Her teacher didn’t send much of that home for the first-graders, but Pyro was patient and explained any lessons with clear and concise instructions.
And when Bowie had a bad day, when she was grumpy, when she had a tantrum, he never seemed turned off or frustrated or annoyed. Nor did he undermine Penny’s parenting, which she appreciated more than she could say. He simply backed her up and refused to let Bowie play one of them against the other.
In short, the man was perfect for her.
Was he perfect in general? No. But neither was Penny. They’d had a few small misunderstandings, and she’d had her feelings hurt, but they’d talked about things like the adults they were and cleared the air.
But hearing him say somberly over the phone that they needed to talk now had Penny feeling uneasy.
Had he decided that she and Bowie were…too much?
That he didn’t want a relationship after all?
She didn’t think so, as just that morning when his alarm had gone off for PT, he’d rolled over and brought her to a quick and intense orgasm before turning her onto her hands and knees and taking her from behind.
Then he’d tucked her back into bed, covered her up, and kissed her long and deep before heading out to meet his team for a “leisurely” ten-mile run on the beach.
The man had more energy than anyone she’d ever met, and Penny was constantly amazed by him.
She loved him. Plain and simple. And was pretty sure he loved her back. So whatever he had to tell her couldn’t be that he wanted to break up. Of that, she was fairly sure.
But then what? What would have him coming home in the middle of the day and sounding so…subdued?
There was only one thing. Rather, person, who she could think of that might have him sounding so worried.
Colvin Jackson.
She’d hoped the man was out of her life for good. That wherever he was and whatever he was doing, he’d forgotten about her. Now she had a feeling that wasn’t the case, and whatever Pyro wanted to talk to her about would change her life once more.
Penny was a nervous wreck by the time he arrived. So much so, the second he saw her after she’d buzzed him up and opened the door, he frowned and pulled her into his arms.
She melted into him, relieved that at least those four stupid words didn’t mean he wanted to end things with her. She made a mental promise never to tell Pyro in the future that they “needed to talk” then leave him hanging, wondering what the heck she wanted to talk about.
Pyro scooted them inside the apartment and shut the door. Then he took her face in his hands and said, “What’s wrong?”
Frowning up at him, Penny said, “I don’t know. You tell me. You were the one who said we needed to talk.”
It was Pyro’s turn to look confused. “And you’ve been stressing about it since we hung up?”
“Well, duh!” Penny said. “You could’ve wanted to say you’ve changed your mind and don’t want a relationship with me.
Or that you were being deployed. Or that Laryn lost her baby.
Or that Colvin has been found and he had a whole manifesto about me and was planning on coming after me wearing a mask like in that movie Scream and everyone I love is in danger!
” Her voice had risen as she continued speaking so by the end, she sounded pretty hysterical.
“Breathe, Pen. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you out,” he said soothingly.
“I’m not freaked out!” she practically yelled.
One of Pyro’s brows lifted.
“Shit. I’m totally freaking out,” she said. Then she took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be a head case. I’m just…I didn’t realize how much power those words had.”
“And I’m sorry I didn’t at least give you a heads-up on what I wanted to discuss. Laryn’s fine, I definitely don’t want to break up with you, and there’s no manifesto or Scream mask. Okay?”
Penny nodded. “I’m okay now. You want some coffee or anything?”
“No. Come on, let’s sit.”
Pyro took her hand and led her over to the couch.
He sat, pulling her down next to him. Their thighs were touching and he hadn’t let go of her hand, which Penny appreciated.
He leaned in and kissed her briefly and said, “I’ve got you, Pen.
You’re safe and will continue to be so. I’ve got your back, and will always have your back. ”
Penny’s stomach churned.
“Tex found out the name Colvin Jackson is currently using, and where he is.”
Here it was. He was here. In Virginia. Where he’d knock on her door at any moment and once again demand repayment of the money her husband supposedly owed him. What was she going to do? She didn’t have forty thousand dollars. Hell, she barely had four hundred dollars.
“Miles Walker. And he’s in Seattle.”
Penny stared at Pyro in confusion. “What?”
“He’s going by Miles Walker, and he’s in Seattle, Washington. He’s rented a condo and it looks like he’s in talks with a hotshot in the bitcoin business.”
Penny’s breath audibly whooshed out. “He’s not here? In Virginia?”
“No. Tex reassured me that he’s definitely not here. And he went further. Reached out to the man.”
“He talked to him?” she asked, astonished.
“Well, no, not personally. He knows a guy who lives in Hawaii, who was more than willing to fly to Seattle with his wife. They did the tourist thing, visited the Space Needle, the fish market, and got a tour of ’s book department, because his wife loves to read.
And one afternoon while she was napping, he paid a visit to Colvin, or Miles, or whatever his name is.
Asked him point blank if he intended to continue to harass you for the money he claims you owe him.
Apparently, Tex’s man made an impression, and Colvin said he had no intention of trying to get the rest of the money from you. ”
It took a moment for what Pyro was saying to sink in. She was free of Colvin’s harassment? It was hard to believe, because he’d told her himself that he’d never forgive the debt. That he’d get his money one way or another.
The relief that welled up inside her was overwhelming. Penny burst into tears.
Pyro lifted her and set her across his lap, then rocked her as if she was Bowie’s age and having a meltdown. She supposed she was…having the meltdown, at least.
“It’s really over?” she asked, when she’d sort of gotten herself under control.
“Tex would like to think so, but then again, Colvin is a career criminal. He’s hoping the man will realize that you’re no longer alone, that you have some fairly intimidating people at your back.
But he’s going to continue to monitor the man, make sure he wasn’t simply blowing smoke up Baker’s ass—the man who went to speak to him.